


Three Times Bones Knew

by nhasablog



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Fluff, Tickle Fights, Tickling, it's all about Jim being ticklish okay I confess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-31
Updated: 2017-01-31
Packaged: 2018-09-21 04:36:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9531770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nhasablog/pseuds/nhasablog
Summary: No matter what Jim thinks Bones always knows.(aka Bones knows that Jim's ticklish okay, like don't even deny it, kid)





	

**1\. About Jim’s sensitivity**

In his profession, Bones was used to people squirming and jumping when he was doing check ups; was used to accidentally prodding at sensitive spots that resulted in his patients either bursting into laughter or doing their utmost best to not react and reveal to Bones what he was already very aware of. People didn’t know that doctors could tell exactly when they touched a ticklish spot, and Bones wasn’t about to inform them either. Check ups were bad enough for some of them as it was.

This, of course, led him to not make the biggest deal out of Jim jerking away from his hands the very first time he examined him. At first he’d barely noticed, used to ignoring reactions that didn’t display distress, but when Jim turned bright red Bones was bound to wonder what was going on.

“Everything okay?” he asked, his fingers stilling in their quest.

Jim nodded way too eagerly. “Everything’s peachy.”

Bones raised an eyebrow and tried not to show when realization hit. He knew exactly why Jim was so flustered. These were usually Bones’ least favorite reactions because he would be forced to pretend as if nothing was happening; as if all the proof wasn’t right before him. But with Jim it was different. With Jim it was endearing.

He bit the inside of his cheek. “Can I continue?”

“Be my guest.”

Jim was a _squirmer_. Bones had to admit he was a little delighted. How he hadn’t made this discovery years earlier was beyond him, but oh was he planning on taking advantage of his newfound knowledge. Jim might end up hating him, but Bones wasn’t ever going to let this information go into oblivion.

Jim jerked away rather violently when Bones graced his ribs lightly maybe or maybe not on purpose, and Bones was quite proud of himself for not grinning. “Did I hurt you?” he asked, his voice laced with mock concern that Jim probably couldn’t see through from all that blood covering his face.

“No, no, no, you’re fine,” Jim assured him, somehow managing to sound normal despite what his appearance stated. “Reflexes, you know.”

“Oh, I know. People’s reflexes work extra well during check ups, I’ve noticed.”

“I wonder why.”

“I know why.”

“You do?” Jim sounded a bit alarmed now, and Bones honestly couldn’t blame him.

“Of course.” He paused for a few seconds to put his tools away. “Nerves,” he finished, catching Jim’s wide eyed gaze with his own.

Jim visibly relaxed. “Huh.”

“Oh, and some of them are excruciatingly ticklish,” Bones added, and Jim all but rushed out of the room when Bones had given him the clear. He only felt a little bad about messing with him, but Jim would get over it quickly. Especially once Bones would ‘accidentally’ discover his ticklishness that very same evening.

**2\. That Jim liked it**

Bones hadn’t always been a grumpy man. As a kid he’d been rather mischievous, and sometimes that playfulness that was still hidden inside him would come out, and god help whoever was in his vicinity when it did.

Tickling Jim had brought that hidden urge back, and he found himself reaching out to give his friend pokes at least a few times a day. Jim never laughed when the sensation only lasted for a short amount of time. Instead he would jump, yelp, shove Bones away, or tell him to stop immediately. Sometimes he would do all four at the same time. As fun as that was Bones never felt entirely satisfied unless he got a proper laugh out of his friend, and to do that he had to pin him down first.

“Wait, Bones, no-”

Bones literally had no time to waste, because they were both due back to their individual positions on the Enterprise in only a few minutes, so he had to act quickly. His fingers were everywhere within a matter of seconds, and Jim was laughing already; his body writhing and struggling and getting nowhere.

And Bones knew he didn’t really _want_ to go anywhere. Oh, Jim was good at pretending as if certain things didn’t affect him, but he had never been able to deceive Bones when it came to anything. Bones had realized the kid liked being tickled the very first time he’d properly attempted it. Those hands on his wrists that didn’t tug, that arched back that didn’t use enough force to throw him off, that high pitched voice that cursed him and cursed him and never once asked him to stop. His struggles were mostly to prevent himself from struggling too much and make the playful torture end too quickly.

Bones could see through him so clearly that he might as well have been transparent. Jim obviously had no idea that he knew, because he kept protesting and making a whole show out of acting as if he didn’t desperately want every touch. It was both hilarious and adorable.

Bones zeroed in on a ridiculously ticklish spot on Jim’s lower ribs, and the shrieks it produced was like music to his ears. He’d noticed that Jim preferred becoming an exhausted mess afterwards rather than Bones only tickling him for a few minutes, so he always went for the kid’s worst spots just before letting him go. That way Jim would be satisfied for the rest of the day, and Bones knew they had a busy few hours ahead of them. He didn’t want Jim’s work to suffer because he had a craving.

He ruffled the captain’s hair once he was done, not commenting on how sweaty he was. “That was fun.”

Jim groaned. “I hate you.”

“Love you, too, you little pain in the ass.”

**3\. That Jim wanted him to do it**

He really had to tell the kid that he wasn’t as subtle as he thought he was being, but Bones was having way too much fun watching him struggle. The way Jim would make himself vulnerable on purpose so that Bones would reach out, or the way he’d provoke until Bones would snap and go for his worst spots. It was all way too obvious, but Bones didn’t have the heart to deny him what he wanted, so he kept complying each time; reducing him to an incoherent mess all the while Jim struggled not to shove him away. Bones had to admit they had a good little routine going.

He was certain Jim would never audibly admit to liking it, and Bones was torn between cornering him and explaining that he knew, because he knew Jim would become a blushing, stuttering mess, but as tempting as that was Bones didn’t want to embarrass him like that either. He wanted Jim to tell him himself in his own time, though he was very aware that that might never happen. For now he was content in just giving in to Jim’s silent pleas, because the award was greater than watching him bend over backwards trying to get Bones to just _do it_.

“Why are you always tickling me?” Jim asked once Bones had backed off to give him a breather.

Bones was going to treat himself to something nice after this, because the amount of willpower it took to not blurt out the truth took its toll on him. “Because it’s fun,” he said instead, grinning at the way Jim had curled up.

“You’re a sadist,” he choked out in reply.

“S’not my fault you’re so goddamn ticklish, kid.”

“I should have you kicked off my ship.”

“Uh huh.”

“Tickling the captain should be punishable- don’t!”

Bones felt bad for him and the way he had to uphold this stupid act, so he decided to shut him up with his fingers against his neck. One day he might tell his friend that he knew everything, but for now he was fine with just making him laugh hysterically. It was what they both wanted, after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [tumblr](http://nhasablog.tumblr.com)


End file.
